


Parallel

by writingLILY



Category: A3! (Anime), A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Childhood Friends, How Do I Tag, I Tried, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:54:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26299738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingLILY/pseuds/writingLILY
Summary: "I'm sorry."A loud whistle and a crackle, and the sky lit up yet again but Tasuku couldn't find beauty in it anymore.or in which Tasuku and Tsumugi were like parallel lines, meeting but never truly destined.
Relationships: Takatoo Tasuku/Tsukioka Tsumugi
Kudos: 13





	Parallel

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a yaoi manga entitled Hana no Miyako de. It's only three chapters so you can read it to have better grasp on the setting or not if you don't want to.

Tasuku opened his closet's drawer and took the navy blue tie on top. He looked at the mirror as he tied the piece of clothing. He tightened the knot of the tie just in time to hear the head maid knocked on his door.

"Young master, your father is waiting for you downstairs."

He looked at his reflection and smirks in satisfaction. He tugged his tie one last time and headed towards the door. "I'm coming," he answered while opening the door.

He nodded back when the maid greeted him. Tasuku followed behind as the maid walked him to the dining room, not paying attention to what the maid is saying.

( Tasuku was 12 when he met him. He'd always see him tiptoeing to reach beyond the concrete gates and when he succeeded in reaching the metal gates he would always have that smile. 

Tasuku looked at the boy beyond the window. His hand reaching out for him only to be stopped by the glass panes. What's so interesting, Tasuku thought as his hand stayed on the glass. )

He grabbed the napkin offered by one of the maids and used it to wipe his mouth. "That's the plan, Father," he answered as he put the napkin down.

"Then, let Hisashi drive you to the university and come back home as soon as you can." His father stood up and left the table. 

"Don't disappoint me, son."

( Tasuku intentionally walked around the garden that day. He walked and walked and walked just to meet the boy this time. One more time, Tasuku thought as he readied to go around the garden again.

Halfway through the garden he heard a rustle that made him look at the direction of the gates. He stared at the empty place and sighed. Maybe he won't visit today, he thought dejected.

He walked towards the gate and peeked down just to make sure he wasn't hiding. Surprisingly or unsurprisingly, the kid was hiding below while covering his mouth with his hands.

"Hey," he said louder than his normal voice to get the other's attention. He watched as the kid stood up fast and turned to him with widened eyes.

"Wha—"

"I swear I didn't come here to steal! I just really really like the flowers and they're so pretty and I saw some in my book and I just really wanna see them, I swear," the boy said hurriedly that Tasuku wondered if he even breathe while saying that.

"You like flowers?"

And then that was how their secret meetings started. )

"We have a lot of courses offered," he heard the dean said besides him. He was only half paying to the man's rambling and was more focused on analyzing the layout of the building than whatever the other was saying.

Tasuku stopped in front of a door as his eyes landed on the sign on top. 'Anthology Department,' he read. Not caring for the dean who was still walking forward, he reached towards the door knob. 

He opened the door and was greeted by a middle aged man. He nodded back as a greeting.

"Are you interested in signing up?" The man asked him as he rummaged through a small box filled with folders. 

Tasuku looked at the room not bothering to answer the man. It was an average sized room where shelves were placed at the right side and behind of the man's table. Tasuku deduced that the department was new or the man only recently moved to this room because the floor was still littered with opened and unopened boxes filled with folders and decorations. Or maybe he's just disorganized, he thought to himself.

"Here." The man placed a clipboard filled with papers on the table. An enrollment sheet, Tasuku thought and stared at the object. "Oh right, pen!" The man exclaimed in realization and now in search for a pen.

He was flipping through the papers when a knock from the door took his attention. "Sir?" A familiar voice asked startling the professor who was still busy looking for a pen.

"You've finally arrived, Tsukioka-kun."

( "My name's Tsukioka Tsumugi," he grinned at him while reaching his hands out for a handshake.

"Tasuku," he said while shaking his hands. )

And yet again, Tasuku broke his father's orders for Tsumugi.

( "Tasuku-sama!" He heard a familiar voice from the distance calling him. It was his Foreign Language teacher looking for him since it was about time for their class. He took ahold of Tsumugi's hands and run.

For the first time in his life Tasuku broke his father's orders.

"Why are we running?" The other questioned him as they ran towards the rose garden. Panting from lack of air, the two hid behind a bush.

"That was my teacher looking for me," he said his voice coming out in a wheeze still not recovered from their impromptu exercise.

"DOESN'T THAT MEAN YOU HAVE CLASS?!" 

He tackled the teen down and covered his mouth. "Keep quiet," he said quietly moving his index finger to Tsumugi's mouth to gesture for the other to be silent.

Still straddling the other, Tasuku suppressed a giggle at the red face teen below him.

And maybe he was fourteen when he first fell in love. )

"I heard what happened," Tsumugi quietly said to him as soon as the class ended. He raised an eyebrow at that. He didn't think that their first conversation in years would start like that but Tasuku always thought of Tsumugi as something spontaneous and unexpected, as well as clueless.

"The professor was the one who informed me of how your father was angry and wanted you out of the class and I don't mean to be nosy or pry into your family prob—"

"Calm down, Tsumugi," Tasuku said as he mused over the fact that Tsumugi never grew out of speaking in one breath when he's panicking. He smiled and said, "You never changed."

"What I want to say is," Tsumugi continued as he licked his lips. He chewed on lips and avoided making eye contact with the other. "Don't do this for me, Tasuku," he said.

Tasuku grimaced. "Tsumugi, maybe you should loosen up," he said grabbing the other's shoulder with his left hand. He leaned down to Tsumugi's height, his mouth near his ears. "Want me to bring you with me? The geishas would surely love you," he whispered.

Tsumugi flinched away from Tasuku. He touched his reddened ears and stared open mouthed at the man in front of him. 

( It was Tasuku's first time going to the festival without his father's associates chatting around him or his bodyguards looming behind him. It was a breathe of fresh air for him who was always surrounded by people who only wanted to please him.

Today was different. Yes, different. Today was the first time his father gave him a semblance of freedom. And today, he'd spent it with his favorite person, Tsumugi.

"Are you alright, Tasuku?" Tsumugi asked besides him, concerned at the sudden silence of Tasuku when he asked of his opinion about the festival.

"I'm fine," Tasuku answered with a grimace. "I was just lost in thought," he continued, waving away Tsumugi's concern.

Tasuku adjusted the sleeves of his haori to have a better look at his watch. It's about time," he said.

Tsumugi sighed at the sudden change of topic. He was concerned about Tasuku but what can he do if the individual involved doesn't even want help or doesn't even tell him anything.

"I know a great place to watch the fireworks," he said, going with the flow of the conversation. He offered his hand to Tasuku and chuckled at the reaction he received. "Well, let's go," he said, tugging at the other's hand. )

Tasuku massaged his aching head. He regretted drinking too much last night. It was a really bad day for him, not only because of the hungover but also, because of his dream last night. Maybe, memories would be an apt term.

"Here."

He jolted from the sudden voice behind him. He looked at the location of the voice and saw Tsumugi holding a small sachet which he identified as medicine.

"Hungover?" Tsumugi asked, putting the medicine on the table.

He shook his head in denial, groaning at the sudden ache of his head. Seeing the rising concern of Tsumugi, he hurriedly said, "I'm fine. Just need to rest."

He opened the sachet and drank the content. "Thank you, Tsumugi," he grimaced at the aftertaste of the medicine. He grabbed his water bottle to rid of the bitter aftertaste and watch Tsumugi fidget besides him.

"Is something wrong?"

Tsumugi stood straight at the sudden attention on him. "I, n-no, I —" He stuttered, flailing his arms.

"Calm down, Tsumugi."

Tsumugi paused and took a deep breathe. "I just wanna ask if you wanna walk home together," _like in the past_ went unsaid but Tasuku heard it loud and clear.

Tasuku was quite surprised at the invitation especially after what happened. _Is he reaching out to me? Why?_ Tasuku asked himself. _No, it doesn't matter what his reasons are as long as we're together even as friends,_ he decided.

While Tasuku was having his internal debate, Tsumugi was observing him. He grew nervous at the changes in Tasuku's facial expressions, from the widening of his eyes then furrowing his brows and then frowning. _Well, rejection is to be expected,_ Tsumugi thought with a wry smile.

"Let me just pack my stuff."

"Eeh?! Ah, you agree?"

"Yes."

( "Isn't it beautiful," Tsumugi said, his voice filled with awe looking at the scenery below. He'd the scene more than a hundred times but the beauty never failed to astound him. The glowing lights from the different booths and the colorful roofs of the booths made the scene even more ethereal.

Tasuku looked at the teen besides him. Tsumugi was smiling, it was a small smile but Tasuku thinks it was the happiest he'd seen him. His blue eyes reminded him of the night sky with how it was sparkling like the stars that decorated the sky. Tsumugi looked amazing and Tasaku couldn't help the words he uttered next. 

"You look beautiful," he said, looking at Tsumugi with a small smile.

Tsumugi blushed at the intensity of Tasuku's stare. His lips pulled up into a small smile and the words he said made Tsumugi even redder. _He looks handsome,_ Tsumugi thought.

A loud whistle took their attention, their heads towards the sky. With a crackle the fireworks flew in the night sky and as if like flowers they bloomed in various colors.

_Gorgeous,_ was the thought that came to both of their minds. 

As the light show shimmered before fading in the sky, Tasuku looked at Tsumugi. Feeling the heavy stare, Tsumugi turned to him too. Tsumugi looked beautiful illuminated by the colorful lights and Tasuku couldn't help but shudder at the sight of him.

"Tsumugi," he starts. Tasuku could feel his voice shaking. "I love you, Tsumugi," he confessed, not taking his eyes off Tsumugi.

"Wha — " Tsumugi staggered back. "Stop joking, Tacchan," he said with shaking eyes.

"Please," Tsumugi whispered, his voice small and brittle.

"I love you, Tsumugi," Tasuku repeated.

Tsumugi looked at his eyes. He could see the determination and seriousness glinting like steel in those purple eyes. He shuddered.

"I'm sorry."

A loud whistle and a crackle, and the sky lit up yet again but Tasuku couldn't find beauty in it anymore. )

They've gotten closer again. There's still that gap but Tasuku thinks this was better than months ago when they were acting like they didn't know each other. Or, of them walking in eggshells around each other. 

This was better.

( Their secret meetings which was almost daily became weekly and then monthly until he never saw Tsumugi ever again. 

Sometimes, Tasuku thinks if it was better if he didn't confessed. )

They were seated on the wooden fence, barrier made to keep children out of the woods. Several feet away from them was the boisterous crowd enjoying the festival.

Tasuku opened his cold ramune. He felt refreshed at the coldness of the soda going down his throat.

"Tacchan — " Tasuku almost choked. Almost. "I love you, Tacchan." And here, Tasuku really did choked, literally and emotionally.

( Tsumugi liked the kind onii-chan who lived in that really big house with a really pretty and big flower house too. 

_Greenhouse,_ he read in his book. 

_Mansion,_ his mother taught and chided him for sneaking in the _mansion._

The big brother, Tasuku, was really kind and smart!

He was 15 years old when he realized he liked him much _much_ more. It was wrong, his mother said. _A sin_ , she continued. 

So, Tsumugi hid everything. Tried to act normal because he can't be not _normal_ because no one _likes_ abnormal kids and he doesn't want Tacchan to hate him. 

He forced himself to be content with everything because that's what being normal was.

Tsumugi hates himself a little more for falling deeper to the existence known as Tasuku.

He was 16, almost 17, when he felt his world start shattering. Or, maybe it was already shattered a long time ago and he's just desperately grasping on the shards that's left, bleeding a little more.

His mother said he was going to get married. She said it was a good family and even willing to support in his study of plants. Although, she thinks it won't earn him money. _A noble,_ she said, her voice filled with happiness and Tsumugi wants to scream.

Finally, 17 years old, Tsumugi was invited by Tasuku to the festivals. He couldn't believe when he said that it was his first time going to the festival. Tsumugi was excited and even made sure to finish all his work in advance so nothing can get in his way.

It was the happiest he'd seen Tasuku. He tried to look nonchalant and the usual him but Tsumugi noticed how his eyes sometimes stayed on certain booths with interest. Tsumugi couldn't help but chuckle at the child-like sparkle in his eyes.

"I love you, Tsumugi." 

The floor seemed to sway and Tsumugi staggered back. He doesn't know if it was because of the shock or he was dizzy. He doesn't want to know.

"Please," he pleaded. _Say you're lying, please!_

He pleaded desperately hoping for Tasuku to hear as his roughly patched world shattered once again.

"I love you, Tsumugi," Tasuku repeated with the same determination and intensity as before. Looking at his eyes, Tsumugi sees steel and he shuddered.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. _I love you too,_ he wants to say. Tell him how much he love him and how he dreamed of this moment for along time but for what? He was leaving and getting married to someone he doesn't even know. God, all he could do was apologise.

A loud whistle and a crackle, and the sky lit up yet again but Tsumugi doesn't know what to feel anymore. )

"But I'm leaving soon," he continued and the once boisterous atmosphere turned somber. "And this time, there's no coming back."

_Why now? Why do you tell me this now? Why not back then? Where are you going? Why can't we be together?_ Tasuku had a lot of questions but all he could utter was, "Why?"

Tsumugi looked at the man besides him. He hesitated. "I, I'm getting married, Tacchan," he said after a moment.

"Is, Isn't that great?" Tsumugi hiccuped and he could feel tears welling up in his eyes.

( "Young master, isn't about time for you to leave the nest?" The head maid, Tasuku's care taker ever since he was a child, said in a matter of fact tone.

"Are you telling me to rebel, Nana-san?" 

She looked at him pointedly and Tasuku felt like he was eight and not 16, almost 17. "I know you, young master," she said in a no-nonsense tone that always made Tasuku behave.

"All I'm saying is, young master," she continued as Tasuku looked at her. "It's time for you to chase after your own happiness," she smiled and Tasuku wondered how she knew.

"Age will not hinder me from taking care of you, Tasuku," she huffed and all Tasuku could see was the silhouette of a younger Nana exasperated of his stubbornness. 

"I'll talk to the Master for you, young master." )

They spent the night in a passionate heat. Entangled in the sheets and their sweat mingling. 

Tasuku held Tsumugi, _closer, tighter,_ he doesn't want to let go.

Tsumugi hugged the man. Clutching onto him, digging his nails deep enough it bled, so desperate to feel Tasuku.

And yet, they couldn't ask the other to stay.

"I love you," they whispered.

[ **Years later.** ]

"Father," he heard one of his students shout. 

Turning his attention to his child, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"I don't get it," the teen paused with a furrowed brows. "Why do you keep teaching here when even mother hates it?" He asked.

"I'm waiting for someone," Tasuku answered, his eyes turning glassy.

A knock resounded in the room and a blue haired teen's head peeped inside. Beaming when he saw the person he was looking for, he greeted, "Tacchan, let's go!"

The teen looked towards his father once again and said, "I don't really get it, Father, but the person you're waiting for must be amazing."

As he turned his back and proceeded to the door, bowed and said goodbye.

"Tsukioka, wait for me!"


End file.
